Stories from Monday, June 29, 2009

Sen. Ben Nelson welcomed today an announcement by the US Department of Education that $47.8 million in stimulus funding will be added to existing Title 1 funds being made available to school districts across the state for a total $115 million investment...

The McCook Football League will be having equipment checkout next Monday (July 6) from 6-8 p.m. at Weiland Field. Checkout will be on the North West side of the stadium. The league is still accepting registrations for the 2009 Football Season. No one will be turned away. All registrations will be accepted up until checkout for all grades...

July 15, 1956 - June 26, 2009 BEAVER CITY -- Mary Lucille Bodfield, 52, of Beaver City, died Friday (June 26, 2009) at her home after a long battle with cancer.
 She was born July 15, 1956, to Edwin Imler and Anita (Welch) Stickelman at Gothenburg. She attended school at Brady. She grew up in Brady and Gothenburg...

Sept. 19, 1915 - June 26, 2009 CURTIS -- H. Leo Hanes, 93, of Curtis, passed away on June 26, 2009, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg. 
 He was born Sept. 19, 1915. to Harvey Ellsworth and Fern (Blake) Hanes at Freedom. He grew up eight miles south of Stockville attending school at Champion Dist. No. 33. He graduated from Havana High School in 1932...

The family of Fay Sherriff is requesting a card shower for her 90th birthday on July 3rd. Card may reach her at P O Box 188, Stratton NE 69043.

Sunday morning dawned bright and early with the "pop-pop-p0p" associated with America's birthday. Thanks to new, tighter restrictions on the sale of fireworks in Nebraska, there's still plenty of time to celebrate the Fourth of July while providing less irritation for pets and those of us who prefer peace and quiet...

From Chadron to Falls City and Imperial to Winside, firework stands opened for business all across Nebraska. As the sounds of Independence Day remind us of our hard-fought freedom, keep in mind that Nebraska's overzealous regulation of fireworks is antithetical to the liberty fireworks represent...

News of Ed McMahon's death this week brought back a flood of memories of Ed, the ultimate sidekick, and his boss, Johnny Carson, who entertained America for over 30 years. I didn't know Ed McMahon, other than as a fan of the Tonight Show, and Star Search -- and I always hoped he'd call with a big check from Publishers' Clearing House. That never happened. But Johnny Carson was from Norfolk, near Plainview, where I grew up, and I always felt a certain kinship with him because of our hometowns...

YORK -- The National Guard has a big impact on Nebraska's economy -- including a major investment in McCook -- but will soon be forced to cut back, according to officials. Consider some of the numbers: 5,640, $210,591,891, $783,389,638 and $664,020,987...

STRATTON -- Timber Creek Homes executives could sit on the front porch of one of their wonderful, big houses and pout about the stranglehold that today's economy has on the housing market. But they've decided, instead, to take a positive approach and offer a new line of cottages -- smaller and less expensive, but, oh so charming and easily adapted to family size and lot location...

As we approach Independence Day, I encourage you to reflect for a moment about the cost of living. I'm not talking about gas prices -- though the price at the pump right now is hitting families in Nebraska and across the country -- or how much it costs to see a movie or buy groceries or purchase a house...

The makeup of the military has seen dramatic changes over the years. No longer does it consist primarily of single men. The majority of men and women in today's all volunteer force are married and have families. More than half of the nearly 3 million members of regular and reserve components of the military are married. In Nebraska, there are more than 15,000 families of regular and reserve components of the military. 7,500 regular and 7,700 reserves...

Dec. 14, 1930 - June 26, 2009 Gerald Spilinek, 78, died Friday, June 26, 2009, at his home in McCook. He was born Dec. 14, 1930, in Elba to Anton and Esther Spilinek. He attended school at Elba and graduated from Elba High School in 1948. Gerald served our country in the Army during the Korean War from Aug. 6, 1952 to July 20, 1954. He returned home to help with the family farm...

March 16, 1928 - June 27, 2009 BEAVER CITY -- Floren A. " Shob" Hyke, 81, of Wilsonville, died Saturday (June 27, 2009) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. He was born March, 16,1928, on a farm northwest of Hendley to Floyd and Hazel (Boop) Hyke. He grew up in Furnas County, living near Hendley, north of Arapahoe and south of Beaver City and attended rural school through the eighth grade...